MORAGA, Calif. -- The Gaels completed their first win of 2019 on Friday after an explosive first inning propelled the team to an 8-1 victory over the Washington State Cougars.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Junior Kevin Milam got the 2019 season started off with a bang on Friday against Washington State after homering to left center following a single to the left side from junior Joe Vranesh to pull out to an early 2-0 lead. Shortly after, Matt Green hit a two-out, two-run single up the left field line to drive in the third and fourth runs of the first inning. Saint Mary's forced Cougar starter A.J. Block to toss 22 pitches in the first inning and ended the frame with a 4-0 lead. On the rubber, Ken Waldichuk pitched a masterful start as he had only allowed one hit through the first three innings.
  
   
• To start the bottom of the fourth inning, Conor Thane took a pitch to the upper thigh that put him on first base with Milam coming up to the plate behind him. Thane was picked off just before Milam dropped a single into right field for his second hit of the game and the Gaels' seventh. During the next at-bat while Gio Diaz was up, Milam attempted the steal but was pulled off the bag and ruled out to end the inning.

 

• At the beginning of the fifth inning, Waldichuk had retired eight straight and while his ninth straight was in jeopardy, Ryan Novis made a diving catch in center to preserve Waldichuk's one-hit game. He went on to strike out the next batter for his tenth straight retired and his fifth scoreless frame. Ryan Novis ripped one up the third base line to start the bottom half of the inning and landed the Gaels eighth of the game that forced the Cougars to switch pitchers to Trent Sellers.
  
  
   
• Waldichuk continued to pitch a one-hit game through the sixth inning and had 43 pitches by the end of the frame. Vranesh completed a diving catch in left field to retire the 13th batter for the Cougars. Brandon White came in for the Cougars in the bottom of the sixth and retired the side as the two teams went into the final three innings of the game.
  
   
• Continuing to dominate on the mound, Waldichuk retired another three for his 16th in a row with six strikeouts. Thane got a lead-off single to start the bottom of the seventh inning followed by a sacrifice bunt from Vranesh that advanced Thane to second base. Milam drove in a double to deep left center that scored Thane and brought the score to 5-0 before Novis recorded his third hit of the game on a two-out single and brought in Milam to secure the 6-0 lead. Eddie Haus hit a high double to left field that advanced Novis to third before Austin Chauvin hit a line drive between shortstop and third that scored both Haus and Novis. The Gaels ended the inning leading the Cougars 8-0.
  
   
• Freshman Dalton Ponce took over to begin the eighth inning after Waldichuk's seven innings with only one hit and no runs allowed. In Ponce's first career start, he tossed 11 pitches, seven strikes and one strikeout in the eighth. The Gaels saw Andrew Shebloski and Kyle Velazquez pinch-hit in the bottom of the eighth and following a hit-by-pitch and a single, the Cougars were forced to change pitchers for the third time. A wild pitch advanced Shebloski and Velazquez to third and second respectively, but they were left on base.
  
   
• Ponce struggled in the top of the ninth and loaded two runners on before an errant throw on an attempted double play scored the Cougars only run of the day. The Gaels defense was able to shut down the Cougars in the final moments of the game and completed their first win of the season with a score of 8-1.

QUOTABLES

"You feel good to have that type of experience on the mound on day one," said head coach Eric Valenzuela. "We had some good, two-strike hits and some two-out RBI hits which were good to see as well."

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 7: Number of scoreless innings for the junior All-American Waldichuk.
• 16: Batters retired in a row for Waldichuk before he exited the game.
• 14: Total number of hits for the Gaels on Friday afternoon.
• 4: Number of freshman first career appearances for Saint Mary's.

COMING UP

• Saint Mary's will play their first double-header of the season on Saturday to continue their series against the Cougars. First pitch of game one will take place at 10 a.m. followed by the second game at 2 p.m.
  
   
• Tickets for Saturday's final home game are available for purchase on SMCGaels.com or by calling the SMC Ticket Office at (925) 631-GoTx. Fans can find all live coverage links on SMCGaels.com.